17/10/2025
TEN (10) HIDDEN FACT ABOUT BREAST CANCER.
๐ฌ 1. Breast cancer isnโt one single disease
It has many subtypes such as:
โข Hormone receptorโpositive (ER+/PR+)
โข HER2-positive
โข Triple-negative (the most aggressive form)
Each of this behaves differently and requires different treatment. So, two women can both have โbreast cancerโ but very different experiences and outcomes.
๐งฌ 2. Men can also get breast cancer
Although rare (less than 1% of all cases), men have breast tissue, and the same mutations (like BRCA2) can trigger cancer. Because itโs less expected.
๐งซ 3. Not all lumps are cancer โ and not all cancers form lumps.
Some cancers grow diffusely without a noticeable lump (especially inflammatory breast cancer). Thatโs why sudden breast thickening, redness, or ni**le inversion should never be ignored.
๐ 4. Estrogen exposure plays a major role
Anything that increases lifetime estrogen exposure such as early puberty, late menopause, hormone therapy, obesity raises risk, because estrogen stimulates breast cell growth.
๐ง 5. Stress and sleep affect tumor biology.
Chronic stress and poor sleep can disrupt immune balance and increase inflammatory hormones (like cortisol), which may speed cancer growth or recurrence.
Note: This is not a direct cause, but a significant influencing factor.
๐ 6. Diet and gut health matter
New studies show that gut bacteria influence estrogen metabolism. Diets rich in fiber, cruciferous vegetables, and probiotics help reduce estrogen reabsorption โ lowering risk.
๐งฌ 7. Genetic mutations are more common than many realize
About 5โ10% of breast cancers are hereditary (e.g., BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 mutations).
Women (and men) with these mutations can have up to 70% lifetime risk, but preventive testing and early surveillance make a huge difference.
โ๏ธ 8. Breast density hides cancer on scans.
Women with dense breast tissue have both a higher risk of cancer and a lower detection rate on mammograms. Ultrasound or MRI screening is often recommended in such cases.
๐ฉธ 9. Cancer cells can โsleepโ for years
Even after successful treatment, some cancer cells enter dormancy and can โwake upโ years later. We are currently carrying out reaserch to understand what reactivates them but from few observations we have discovered that it could be possibly inflammation, hormones, or immune changes.
๐ง๐ฝโโ๏ธ 10. Exercise and weight control can reduce recurrence risk
Regular moderate exercise (like brisk walking 3โ5 hours per week) reduces recurrence risk by up to 40%, according to clinical studies โ comparable to some medical therapies.
๐ฉบ Note this: Early detection can literally save lives
When caught at stage 1, survival rates exceed 95%.
At stage 4, it drops below 30%.
Thatโs why self-exams, mammograms, and awareness of subtle symptoms (like ni**le discharge or skin changes) are crucial.
Thank you
ConsultantTalent Emmanuel